It was a little after seven in London and the busy flow of mid-week commuter traffic had already begun to pulse through the brightening streets. The clearing sky, still heavy with the passing drizzle of the dawn, held only the thinnest of clouds, giving everyone within view the unmistakable sight of Thunderbird 2 descending low over the Thames.
The appropriate calls had been made to forewarn the approach of the craft, as much to prepare the hospital for their arrival as to dispel any chance of them causing the panic that had followed their last 'visit' to this city. Nevertheless, traffic screeched to a halt along both sides of the river and pedestrians paused in open-mouthed awe as Thunderbird 2 glided effortlessly down-river, passing over Lambeth Bridge and heading ominously close to the political centre of the capital. But then she banked right and came to a halt, hovering over the centuries old outer shell of the newly refurbished St Thomas' Hospital.
The rescue platform lowered, delivering its weary cargo to the waiting trauma team on the lawn opposite the A&E entrance. And then she was gone. As quick as she had appeared, the immense green craft retreated high up into the morning sky and allowed the city to continue about its business.
The momentary pause caused by the spectacle was followed by the hushed murmurs of those who had gathered in the streets to watch and then soon they were back on course and talking excitedly as they continued towards their workplaces.
In front of the hospital, a hurried plan of action was being discussed among the trauma team as they assessed the casualty, simultaneously wheeling him fast towards the open doors of the Emergency Department and ushering his companion alongside. This time there was much more of an understanding among the staff that no names would be given and details of the 'incident' had been kept to a minimum as the anonymous medic had made his hasty report and handed care over to them.
Unable to reveal the truth of his concern but refusing to leave John's side for a moment, Scott simply stated that he was family and his insistence received a little more empathy. The somewhat dishevelled Trauma Consultant gave Scott a pensive glance and a small smile of reassurance. He knew who John was. He had recognised his face and he had seen the insignia on the damaged uniform the last time he had treated this particular patient. But he could be trusted. And that was why Penny had urgently woken him.
But when John was taken to the operating theatre a short while later, Scott could no longer remain with him. He was led through to a small waiting room nearby, the nurse offering him both a drink and some of her precious time.
Scott politely declined all that the nurse offered and managed a small smile as he sat down on the narrow but thankfully comfortable sofa. She retreated hesitantly, reminding him that he could borrow their phone or get refreshments if he so needed and that she would return with news as soon as she received any.
"Thank you." Scott nodded and relaxed back amid the soft cushions, his tiredness completely overwhelming him.
The door closed and Scott was left alone with the chaos of his thoughts. He glanced at the watch that Virgil had hastily strapped onto his wrist and a frown hooded his eyes; he ought to call in but there was nothing more to say. And they would contact him if there were any news from elsewhere.
Elsewhere. God. He had seen the look on his father's face before they had left him at the complex with Penny. It had made him shudder and had the same effect as he recalled it now. But he didn't want to think about what his father might be doing right then. He didn't want to think about anything. He closed his eyes and fell into shallow, disturbed slumber.
The knock on the door about 20 minutes later woke him with a start, his body trembling with sudden adrenaline. He calmed but a little as the nurse returned to the room and offered him a warm smile.
"There's someone here to see you." She explained softly, placing a steaming mug of tea on the table before him and then glancing back at her companion.
Scott nodded in thanks and a small smile of amusement pulled at his dry lips; what was it with the Brits and their damned tea? Even Penny and Parker could give no explanation, despite their own cultural addiction to the stuff. His smile was then quick to fade as he looked up and saw the trademark black and white uniform of the officer that stepped further into the room.
Of course. It was to be expected that some sort of explanation, to be filed in one report or another, would be required. Scott watched the nurse close the door after her departing figure and then turned to the police officer. And his heart thudded against his chest as he suddenly recognised the woman who was regarding him in concern.
"Hello." She offered quietly.
"Alex?" Scott's smile returned, delighted to see a familiar face. "What are you - " He halted, answering his own question in his mind as her apparel made it suddenly obvious.
"We got the call and I was in the area." Alex explained anyway, "It's procedure now for us to swing by and check on things." She smiled suddenly, "Especially as the grass in Jubilee Gardens has only just been reseeded."
Scott's grubby, tired features seemed unamused and he held her gaze in silence.
"What is it …?" Alex asked timidly, suddenly wondering why he had remained and why he was in civilian – and somewhat battered – clothing. John had said they were going to spend some precious downtime on a little vacation but –
"It's John." Scott husked.
Alex took a moment to absorb his words, a small frown developing as she crossed the room and sat down on the sofa beside Scott.
Scott swallowed back the sudden lump in his throat and looked down at his hands.
"How bad?" Alex asked after a moment, the question seeming suddenly foolish when the look on Scott's face told all. "I mean … can you tell me …?"
Scott shook his head. So she knew all about them and had shared in the trauma of their last visit to her country. It was just that he simply couldn't find the words right now.
Alex watched the emotion gather on Scott's flushed face and tears stung her eyes as she reached out and placed her hand on his arm. His reaction startled her and she gasped a little as suddenly he had turned and thrown his arms around her.
Scott rested his face against the non-too-comfortable Kevlar padding of her protective vest and hugged her tightly. Knowing what she meant to John and knowing that she understood what their lives were about made it seem right to turn to her. And he found something of the reassurance and comfort that he sought as she slipped her arms around him and also began to gently cry.
"I'm sorry." Scott husked after a few minutes.
Alex frowned in confusion, unsure of the meaning of his whispered apology. They slowly moved back from each other and Alex groaned inwardly, disturbed by the pain that troubled his grubby face. All she had known of John's older brother was the tall, brash, confident cliché of an American that she had once been presented with. This new version was more than a little disturbing. And suddenly she was torn between wanting to comfort him and needing to get away from the scary reality in his tired eyes.
"What …" Alex swallowed hard and placed her hand on Scott's shoulder. "What's happened …?"
Scott turned to meet her concerned expression and took a deep breath. And suddenly he poured it all out. Their discovery of the complex, the coded transmissions, their stupid decision to go back there, their capture and all that had then been revealed. It seemed too incredible to be real and Scott frowned as the tale hung in the air around them.
"Holy crap …" Alex hissed in wonder.
Scott nodded in agreement.
"And …" Alex hardly dared ask, "John …?"
"He's in surgery." Scott answered quietly. "And … shit, I really don't know." Fresh tears gathered and he hung his head with a sigh.
Alex closed her eyes and rested her hand on Scott's arm as they sat together in silence.
It was a few minutes later, when the gentle whisper of transmission buzzed through her all but muted radio, that Scott suddenly realised his opportunity. He sat up straight and wiped his face on his sleeve. "I need your help!"
"Of course." Alex shrugged.
"I need the police reports and intelligence gathered from when The Hood was arrested at the Bank of London."
Alex frowned slightly. "Why … ?"
"Someone's setting up my family. Someone with inside information." Scott continued hastily, "I need to know who and where their source is."
"Alright," Alex nodded, "But how - "
"Can you get it?"
"I can try."
Scott sighed gratefully and a small smile brightened his face a little. "Thanks."
"I'll need to go back to the station." Alex ventured.
"I have to stay here." Scott nodded sombrely, "But …" He lifted his wrist and pressed a small button on the side of his seemingly average designer wristwatch. "Alan?"
"Scott!" The tinny response was immediate and loud. "Any news?"
"No. Sorry buddy … Listen, I need a favour." He shot Alex a small smile and continued, "John has a digital frequency secured on one of his personal files …"
Scott held out his wrist towards Alex in a request for her to speak and she instinctively lifted one hand to touch the radio pinned to her shoulder. She nodded in understanding and recited the frequency code.
"Got it." Alan announced after a moment.
"Good." Scott smiled, "Link us up would ya?"
"Sure." Came Alan's distant reply, "Alex, huh?"
"Yeah." Scott affirmed.
"Hello." Alex offered.
"Has Penny called in?" Scott then queried.
"Not for a while." Alan answered, sighing loudly, "Hey, whatever you guys are gonna do, be careful. Okay?" Another worried sigh. "I've got a really bad feeling about all this."
"You and me both, Sprout." Scott husked, "You and me both."
The return to the station had been awkward. Alex's partner, Tom, had been none too pleased at her sudden diversion to the hospital that morning and was now receiving no answers as to why they were rushing back. Her plea for him to simply trust her had made him even more concerned. Neither of them had any idea that her intuitive decision to not risk him getting involved was more than a little accurate.
There was nothing. Alex searched again through the files on the central database and came up empty. There were various reports of International Rescue's assistance in an incident involving faulty monorail infrastructure back in February and a separate attempted robbery at the Bank of London but no mention of any maniacal Hood involvement. She also read through details of a police helicopter experiencing a technical malfunction and creating havoc with an emergency landing on a motorway south of the city and the help provided by the Thunderbirds. But once again no Hood.
Alex stared at the screen in confusion and more than a little panic. There was no trace of him. Even the name 'Trangh Belagant' gave no results.
Thinking that perhaps the networked files had been protected in order to provide anonymity to those that requested it, Alex stood and hurried over to the bank of tall filing cabinets that lined one side of the room. There must be a hard copy of the local files and she headed first for the alphabetised sections and then the chronological files.
Nothing.
"What are you looking for?"
Alex gasped and spun round, knocking the corner of a file drawer with her hip and slamming it shut.
Detective Superintendent Pryce could not help but smile at the obvious surprise and guilt on her flushed face.
"I …" Alex shrugged, quickly regaining her composure and offering him a brief smile. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" Pryce chuckled, "I can't be of much help with 'nothing' …"
Alex watched his smile fade and her heart was racing.
Pryce glanced into the relatively quiet corridor behind them and closed the door. He stepped further into the room and raised a hand to quieten the anxiety he could see building in her eyes. "I already spoke to her this morning, Alex. I assured her there's nothing left. It's all been erased."
Alex swallowed hard, unable to respond coherently right at that moment.
"I know, Alex." Pryce continued softly, "I know all about your involvement with them."
Alex shook her head in uncertainty, "Them?"
Pryce nodded, "I knew they had recruited someone else here but, for security, I never knew who until … Look …" Pryce sighed suddenly, "I can understand that you're in way over your head here but I want to help you. I can continue to hide your part in all this but only if you let me in."
"I … I don't understand … sir." Alex managed, suddenly deciding to lead the conversation rather than revealing all her cards right now.
Pryce smiled again, a mixture of genuine affection and empathy. "This is serious, Alex. Changing files, tampering with evidence, falsifying official documents …"
Oh crap, Alex groaned inwardly. He knew she had changed her statement?
"But … I'm guessing you had no choice … they forced you, blackmailed you somehow … No?"
No, Alex wanted to reply. Penny and John and the rest of them would never do something like –
"Damned Spooks …" Pryce sighed.
Now Alex was at a complete loss. She held her breath and prayed that he would elaborate.
"I can't believe they've caught you up in all this. You weren't even there. I mean, I can understand the interrogation and threats that the officers who were on the scene have received but you …" He regarded her in concern and suddenly with more than a hint of suspicion. "Why you …?"
Alex thought back to what Scott had said and suddenly felt dizzy. And then the Super's words came back to her. She swallowed hard and decided to play along. "What did 'she' say?"
"Phase Two has failed. Phase Three has been initiated."
Alex nodded slowly.
"She's gone to Kazakhstan to retrieve the 'investment'. She said to await further instructions."
Alex nodded again, trying to convey a convincing impression of understanding when inside she was completely lost in a giddy chaos of confusion and fear. She took a deep breath and then an idea came to her mind. "And … do you … sir … do you think we're doing the right thing?"
"It's not for me to decide." Pryce shrugged.
"Maybe … but not all orders make sense …" Alex prompted.
Pryce sighed and dragged a hand through his hair. "I don't know … I mean, I was impressed when I first saw them … caught up in the whirlwind of excitement that they left behind them each time they …" He sighed again and his shoulders sank heavily. "It's a shame their efforts have to be eliminated …"
Alex's heart slammed against her chest. There was something very terrifying about his use of that word. And Scott's theory that someone must be after his family seemed suddenly very plausible. But not the crazed lunatic that had been at the forefront of it all. He must have been a smokescreen.
"But she does have a point," Pryce continued, "There is this sense that it is all too good too be true … and where does all the technology come from? … And who is funding them?" He smiled and shrugged slightly; "I guess we should know better by now that it's never a good thing when an organisation includes the word 'secret' in its bio."
"No." Alex offered quietly.
"I don't know …" Pryce perched on the desk beside him and sighed again. "Spies and conspiracies and secrets … it's all too much bother …"
Alex watched him relaxing and smiling fondly at her. He was, as she had always suspected, one of the old stock, a genuine good guy. Caught up in the chaotic schemes of some very bad people. But which ones were the bad people was suddenly a total mystery. And more than a little concerning.
"They do get all the best toys though." Pryce observed in amusement. "Did you see that pink limousine of hers?"
And that was enough. Suddenly feeling the world being ripped out from under her and in desperate need of some fresh air, Alex made her quick (and hopefully realistic) excuses and left the office as calmly as she could.
Once safely away from Pryce, she broke into a run and fled from the station. Tom gasped in surprise and concern as she scrambled into the waiting patrol car and flung it into gear. Ignoring his protests, she turned sharply out onto the busy road and flicked on the lights and sirens as she ignored the red light and dove through the traffic.
Alex grabbed the radio at her shoulder and, using the call sign he had given her, she hailed Scott. But words escaped her as she heard his reply and she let go of the handset, suddenly at a complete loss as to how to tell him the god-awful truth about Penny.
tbc …